Introduction

State Tuberculosis Training & Demonstration Centers (STDCs) are state-level strategic institutions in the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP). Headed by an STDC Director, it acts as the knowledge hub in the state in relation to the TB program in the state and supports the state in Program Management by conducting its core activities of SM&E (Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation) and Training in TB and NTEP. Apart from this it also performs some technical activities such as, preparing the NTEP State PIP, implementation and scaleup of new interventions, surveillance and TB Burden estimation, conducting Operational Research, evolve the state specific TB Elimination strategy and advocacy for TB Elimination efforts in the state. 

STDCs were originally established during the National TB Program (NTP), that existed before 1998, as the TDTC (Tuberculosis Demonstration and Training Centre). It was later designated as the STDC (State Tuberculosis Demonstration and Training Centre) when Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) was launched. The role of an STDC was last formally released in 2004. It included Training, SM&E (Supervision Monitoring and Evaluation), EQA (External Quality assurance) of sputum microscopy, Advocacy, IEC (Information, Education and Communication), and Operational research (OR). 

With the drive to accelerate progress toward TB Elimination, the NTEP has evolved and considerably expanded in-depth range of TB services. The National Strategic Plan (NSP) of the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP) envisaged the STDCs playing a significant role in building capacities of the NTEP cadres, general health system, and private health facilities/providers along with supervision, monitoring, evaluation of the programme and operations research. With the evolution of the TB program, the STDCs also evolved by themselves, with each state taking different approaches based on contextual need. 

With this context, this release of the STDC Guidelines seeks to formally update the the previous guidelines to match current program operations and vision. Using the guideline, states NTEP administrators should try to align their STDC structure and functions and eventually bring uniformity in its minimum functions and performance in comparison to the other STDCs in the state.